Page 4493 - Week 12 - Thursday, 26 October 2017

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But for a number of reasons she would prefer not be adding to the congestion on Canberra’s roads or the pollution in our air. This woman wishes to do the right thing.

Bec Cody mentioned before that the public transportation has improved. I wish you to tell these people—all the shift workers and those who work on weekends who struggle with public transportation—that transportation has improved. I wish you to tell the elderly who find a one-kilometre hike to a bus stop just too far.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Mrs Kikkert, the time for the matter of public importance has expired.

Discussion concluded.

Adjournment

Motion (by Mr Gentleman) proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

Plan Australia #GirlsTakeover

MS LEE (Kurrajong) (4.33): On 11 October I was very proud to participate in Plan Australia’s #GirlsTakeover program, where a young future woman leader was able to take over my role as an elected member of parliament. I acknowledge the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Ms Lawder, Mrs Jones, Minister Berry, Ms Cheyne and Ms Le Couteur, who also allowed a girl to take over their role. I know that Ms Cheyne spoke about this in the adjournment debate on Tuesday. It was a speech very beautifully written by Linda, I think her name is, who took over her role. Unfortunately, unlike Ms Cheyne I did not have the foresight to get my speech written for me, so I will try to do my best in my own words.

Ashleigh Streeter, who was with me for the day, along with Caitlin Figueiredo, whom Ms Cheyne and I have previously spoken about in this chamber, were the amazing young women who organised for the girls to take over the ACT Legislative Assembly and Parliament House, starting with breakfast at the Assembly and being put on the spot to make a short speech, preparing a briefing note for a bill coming up for debate, a mobile office at the Narrabundah shops and writing a speech for ANU UniLodge’s valete was all in a day’s work for Ashleigh.

I also bravely handed my Twitter account over to Ashleigh, who had no hesitation whatsoever in tweeting away everything she was doing that day. I think that as an Assembly we were all proud to be the first parliament in Australia and, indeed, the commonwealth to achieve a female majority and show the world that—as it says on the postcard that hangs on my office pinboard as a daily reminder—a woman’s place is in parliament.

I thank Ashleigh and Caitlin for their dedication in creating opportunities, mentoring and inspiring young girls to feel that nothing should be out of their reach. I am glad that Ashleigh and Caitlin also came back to the Assembly on Monday this week for


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